The story of ‘Magic’ and his rescue

‘Magic’ is another of our rescued dog stories, for the story of his rescue and recovery is nothing but ‘magical’.

Last year when the Commonwealth Games 2010 ended, it was time to release the street dogs back into the games venue areas where they were picked up from and kept in at shelters for the period of the games.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s SSCBC (Society for Stray Canine Birth Control) decided then that to ensure transparency, the release of all dogs back into their respective areas will be photographed and video-graphed as evidence to comfort all that ‘no dog was dislocated from its original territories’ in conformation with the Animal Birth Control Rules 2001 (drafted under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960).

On one such Dog-release exercises happening in South Delhi, I had volunteered to be part of the Release Team and photograph/videograph the release of the dogs as per the details we had of their respective areas at the time of picking them up.

As we were releasing some dogs in the area of R.K Puram, a middle-aged lady came up to me and pointed to a dog that had taken shelter in a shop of his rag-dealer husband. She told me ‘Take him, he has lost his eye’. I asked what happened and went close by, only to see something that I had not imagined. The left side of this male dog’s face was completely chewn apart by maggots and so was his left eye and we all could literally peep into his jaw, see his tongue and it was to say the least, a painful sight.

I requested the MCD Dog Catchers who were accompanying me in the Release vehicle to help catch that dog, but this was not a rescue for the faint-hearted and they couldn’t catch him and he ran far far away.

Next day morning, we at ‘Jaagruti’ decided to make another trip to that area as that lady had shared with me that the maggot-infested dog stays in and around their shop only.

After a few minutes of searching for him, we were able to locate this dog, but now came the big challenge of how to win this dog’s confidence and pick him up to keep him in our car…we had done this before, but this time around we needed some help and help did come to us in the form of the rag-dealer husband of that lady, who was friendly with that dog and helped pick him up and place him in our car. We had used the tried and tested trick of covering his eyes with a cloth and tying a leash around his neck…but then mayhem was to follow as this dog kept running up and down in our car and was scratching his face with the windowpanes, visibly in pain with the maggots tearing into his flesh, oozing blood all over.

We then called upon the ambulance from the Animal Hospital we at ‘Jaagruti’ support through monetary and in-kind contributions and requested them to help us with this rescue case. To our good fortune, their ambulance was nearby…and then we were successfully able to transfer this dog from our car into the ambulance and off he was sent to the hospital.

‘Magic’ after being put in the Animal Ambulance- Image Copyright: ‘Jaagruti’

In the case of any other animal hospital in any part of Delhi or the world, such a severe case of maggot infested dog would have perhaps been euthanized or as they say’ peacefully put to sleep’ and we at ‘Jaagruti’ were prepared to hear that from our trusted vet too, but that wasn’t to be as the docs decided to give it a shot and then began the ‘magical’ treatment of this dog, whom we chose to name ‘Magic’…perhaps because his recovery was magical news for us and also because the name of the dreaded maggots who made this dog’s life hell started that way as well!

As ‘Magic’ underwent treatment, on day 1 his maggots and wound were cleared, on day 2 he was put on drips because with all the maggot clearing medicines going into his mouth, he had stopped eating food through his mouth…the glucose drips continued till day 4 and then came the good news, that Magic had started taking his food himself..

‘Magic’ on the road to recovery at the Animal Hospital – Image Copyright: ‘Jaagruti’

Another month of treatment and recovery followed and on Day 40, he was released back into his area where he was welcomed back by the area residents, all astonished and pleased that he had recovered and so were we!

‘Magic’ in the ambulance post recovery and before being released back into his area -Day 40 (Image Copyright: ‘Jaagruti’)

Thank you for that very gracious comment. Delhi’s dogs are better off because of a lot of good people you know off too. Guess we all do whatever we possibly can, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t and we are certain its the same in many corners of this country where someone or the other is still working very hard to help an animal in need and make this world a better place to live in.

Call us or email us…also if you want guidance on how to get the street dogs you take care of vaccinated against rabies and or sterilized at no costs to you then please let us know..we can share what we do.

wow you guys are really kind hearted the love and care show towards innocents animals and this is really appriciable, i would like to know more info about your service towards stray dogs, is there any jaaguthi association in bangalore and may i get contact numbers so that i can help stray dogs who are suffering form desease.

Hats off for your work.. I am also keen animal lover. And helped so many animals in distress… But I always wanted to know the best method to treat maggot infections in animals.Earlier i used phenol for destroying maggots. Though phenol kills all maggots but i always knew that its not a thing to get rid of maggots. Now i have noted down the medicines and ointments such as himax and d mag spray. Now i will use use them to treat dogs. Thanks a lot for writing such a wonderful article.

Thank you for the information given above, as people don’t
know how dangerous these MAGGOTS are, I have a dog at home so i know there feelings very well. So whenever I see any dog is in danger I help him immediately.

Hello Ma’am, I have a deep love for dogs. I had been having foreign breeds as pets but I discontinued this practice 2 years ago after I sent my dog to my grandparents’ home as I realised that breed-dogs are taken care of but the stray ones are neglected and treated inhumanely and so they are the ones who need my time and affection. Since then I have saved the lives of about 7-8 dogs and have been adopted one of them who had been nearly dead of starvation. However, I keep getting in quarrels with people in my locality who keep hitting dogs, especially the new-born puppies and so I need authoritative help with that. I wish to know if Jagruti has a branch in Patna, Bihar which I can consult for better protection of stray-dogs. I am really devoted to them and it pains me to see them in distress. Please advise!

Dear Lakshya, JAAGRUTI is Delhi based but ww can share that the best way to avoid such unfortunate incidents of fights with neighbours and cruelty towards pups and dogs is to pursue your local Municipal Corporation to start an Animal Birth Control programme (Dog Sterilization + Anti Rabies Vaccination) for Street Dogs as per the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules 2001 framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Hello Ma’am, I have a deep love for dogs. I had been having foreign breeds as pets but I discontinued this practice 2 years ago after I sent my dog to my grandparents’ home as I realised that breed-dogs are taken care of but the stray ones are neglected and treated inhumanely and so they are the ones who need my time and affection. Since then I have saved the lives of about 7-8 dogs and have been adopted one of them who had been nearly dead of starvation. However, I keep getting in quarrels with people in my locality who keep hitting dogs, especially the new-born puppies and so I need authoritative help with that. I wish to know if Jagruti has a branch in Patna, Bihar which I can consult for better protection of stray-dogs. I am really devoted to them and it pains me to see them in distress. Please advise!

I have a deep love and affection for animals really pround to have people like you around who treat and care for those who cant even pay them back for their work.keep it up guys god will give loads of happiness